About Us
Angelike Ajroja has been pursuing art and design basically since toddlerhood. Throughout her entire childhood, you could always find her passionately drawing at the kitchen table or rearranging her mom’s décor. She became fascinated with the beauty and history of vintage objects at around age 5 and, as soon as she could drive, she began spending her free time at antique stores and flea markets as both a buyer and seller. Later, she pursued her love for design and illustration at Parson’s School of Design in Los Angeles and earned her Bachelor’s degree in fashion marketing in Chicago. Throughout her twenties, she continued dabbling in the world of vintage and also kept busy with her handcrafted jewelry line that sold nationwide through her rep at the Chicago Apparel Center. Additionally, she found work doing illustrations, fashion design, merchandising, staging, ad work and management for design firms and retailers throughout Chicago.
From 1996 until now, she has honed her business skills at a commercial maintenance company where she was able to double the company’s revenue while completely revamping the company image through an extensive marketing overhaul, all within her first few years with the firm. In 2004, she was promoted to president and CEO, where she oversees the work of over 350 employees.
She resides in Sleepy Hollow with her husband & two sons and usually spends her free time on the soccer field. The entire family participates in the sport; her oldest son plays for Michigan State University and her youngest plays at the high school varsity level, plus club travel, state and regional teams. The Ajrojas are also involved in philanthropic endeavors and volunteer work through their Greek Orthodox Church in Elgin, IL.
In 2017, with one son soon entering college and a little more free time on her hands, Angelike launched The Half Full Nest, a blog dedicated to her love of design. Since then, the blog has grown and has attracted a large following on social media, securing numerous assignments as an influencer and designer. For the past several years, she has talked about having a store “someday,” and is so grateful that the day has finally come to make that statement a reality with The Half Full Nest Vintage Market!
Her goal is to help elevate and grow the retail environment in West Dundee, while sharing her love of design and all things vintage! Her shop truly offers something for everyone, where it features a variety of the most popular styles. The mix of merchandise includes items both big and small for every budget. There you will find a bountiful assortment of gifts under $30 all the way up to exclusive, high-end furnishings.